Canadian aviation companies CAE and WestJet have formed a long-term partnership that will see them collaborate on a major new training facility in Calgary that will house eight full-flight simulators.
WestJet will be the “primary commercial airline customer” for CAE’s planned 21,925sq m (236,00sq ft) Alberta Training Centre of Excellence for Aviation and Aerospace, set to open in 2028.
Calgary-headquartered WestJet plans to schedule at CAE’s future facility initial and recurrent pilot and cabin crew training on Boeing 737 Max, 737NG and 787 aircraft, as well as De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400s.
”In partnership with Mount Royal University, the facility will be the first of its kind in Canada to combine state-of-the-art training equipment with collaborative research and development initiatives,” the companies say.
CAE says it will lead the “design, development and ongoing operations” at the centre, while Mount Royal will serve as a “post-secondary collaborator”, providing academic expertise and research.
The deal also deepens the existing ties between WestJet and Quebec-based CAE – boosting the latter’s expansion into Western Canada, while providing an “anchor” for WestJet’s hub in Calgary.
Alexis von Hoensbroech, chief executive of WestJet Group, calls the partnership a ”significant commitment that will ensure our people receive the highest standard of training for years to come”.
The facility will also support the development of pilots and flight attendants for other airlines, CAE says. Construction on the centre will begin later this year.
